1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a gray scale correcting system in an imaging apparatus such as a video camera and, more particularly, to a system and a method for making a gray scale correction by using respective optimal gray scale characteristics for the areas into which an image is divided in response to the condition of the image.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The gray scale correction system of an imaging apparatus corrects an image signal to cause luminances of a reproduced image to match those of the subject to be shot. Various devises have been made to the gray scale correction system to effectively use an imaging system with a narrow dynamic range.
However, in conventional gray scale correcting systems, the positions of borders between the areas to which respective gray scale characteristics are applied are fixed. If both of low and high luminance portions exist in such an area, then this will cause an effective gray scale correction to be difficult. In this case, it would be very advantageous to be able to change the configuration of areas such that portions of largely different luminances do not exist in one area.
Thus a need exists in the art for a gray scale correcting system and method which periodically determines the borders defining areas into which an image is divided in response to the conditions of the image such that optimal gray scale characteristic can be applied to each of the areas.